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Truly Heartbreaking But So Hopeful
I will be haunted for a long time by this.
On the other hand, it gave lots of hope.
FOOTNOTE: My father had an experience like this about three years before he died.
15 Responses to “Truly Heartbreaking But So Hopeful”
Thanks for posting this, Joe.
I am both sad and proud to say that this wonderful young man was from my hometown of Austin, Texas.
Very moving video. I’m a pragmatist and a skeptic, but have been around long enough to know that not all experiences lend themselves to easy explanation – which isn’t the same as saying they aren’t valid. I hope this young man is truly in the place he wanted to be.
Well then, maybe some of the people whom read his touching witness will actually believe in God and OBEY Gods word.
…but I fear not. They’ll just keep on rationalizing their pride.
And just whose god would that be Allen?
zephyr-
The God of Abraham and Isaac, and, his Son.
Uh huh… I prefer not to box it up and pretend to understand it. Also I am (sensibly) suspicious of the motives of those who do. Don’t close any doors Allen.
The same god who gave us Tebow kills off the kid….
zephyr-
It’s all a mystery. Faith is required.
…and it’s good that you are sensible.
Thanks, Joe, very moving to this old atheist. Hope I can go so peacefully, I won’t quibble.
Duck-
Sorry Charlie, Starkist is not for you.
“Starkist is not for you.”
Allen, what does this mean? I’m quite curious.
So am I. Allen??
Well, since you asked…
According to the word of God, you cannot enter heaven unless you are at least a believer. Last I checked, atheists were stated non-believers.
Joe writes of “Hope”. The hope of an afterlife. There is no other context for Joe’s “Hope” comment that I can detect. Unless you are hoping for a bright light, with some endorphin inspired euphoria as you die. Not much to hope for there.
I am a Christian. I believe that Jesus Christ is the predicted Messiah. That his teachings are the hope of man and the only hope for man. Duck, well Duck believes apparently nothing. Duck has no hope. I, however, continue to hope and pray for Duck’s conversion.
The Charlie Tuna commercial is just a gentil way to prod Duck in the right direction a little bit.
“The hope of an afterlife. There is no other context for Joe’s “Hope” comment that I can detect.”
A lack of imagination on your part doesn’t mean that the rest of us suffer the same dearth, Allen. One can certainly have hopes about one’s own death without believing in an afterlife, and one can also believe in an afterlife without believing the same flavor of deity as you — the God of Abraham and Isaac, as you put it. This particular video also brings up hopefulness that we will be ready for death, that it won’t hurt, that it will be peaceful, that it won’t be scary, that we will be able to look at our lives and be proud of the people we were and happy with the lives we’ve lived. In addition, lots of non-Christian, or non-your-denomenational-Christian, belief systems think there is an afterlife, or other life post-mortal-coil, and that that other life isn’t unpleasant.
I’m fairly certain no major religions think of heaven as canned tuna (or Trix maybe?), but I suppose it’s as good an analogy as any. I’m also reasonably confident that “you’re not going to heaven” (or its evil twin “you’re going to hell”) is an argument used on and dismissed by dduck a good number of times in the past, but I wouldn’t want to assume such a thing.
One more thing to clarify: being an athiest means not believing in theism. That’s different than believing in nothing, although dduck may also be a Nihilist, which is pretty close to believing in nothing — certainly much closer than straight-up atheism.
Actually, guys I am a Schultzite, “I know nothing”.
Allen, thanks for the humorous nudge, the humorous is appreciated.
And, I was only commenting on the poor boy’s last moments as being desirable without a thought of an afterlife.
This is question for someone above your pay grade, Allen. Say I qualified for some version of heaven, but one, or more, of my loved ones didn’t, I would not be happy. (And, god forbid, that someone I hate shows up to ruin the rest of eternity.)
Also, I loved my pets, and I guess there can be no animals allowed. All in all, my perception of nothingness may suit some folks. Some not, so good luck.